


Iron and Gold

by TheNevemore



Category: Big Bang (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Fae & Fairies, Multi, Unicorns, all the things, and nobody stopped me, basically I went on a slightly crack-tastic field day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-03 22:56:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5310230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNevemore/pseuds/TheNevemore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the world was young, the sun and the moon fell in love. Their children became the fairies of the earth, but the story is not quite as you remember. In the east live the Xian and in the west are the Fae - two groups who forgot one another as the centuries passed. But fate brings a Fae prince and a Xian king together in very unexpected circumstances - changing their destinies forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fated

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, I have been looking for an excuse to write Daesung as a unicorn. And this story starts off kind of angsty but then becomes fluffy. Woo. -shifty eyes- Right. So...on with the story!

Long, long ago – when the earth was sighing its first breaths – the gods placed the moon and the sun in the sky. It happened the moment the moon saw the sun: He loved her with a passion so intense it made the evening glow bright. Every moment, he followed her across the sky, but he could never seem to catch her attention. The sun, with her bright radiance, seemed more enthralled by watching the earth below come to life. She smiled at the flowers as they bloomed and gave warmth to the animals and painted the sky with brilliant colors at both ends of the day. The moon was anguished by her lack of attention, and he cried as he journeyed through the darkness. As his tears hit the sky, they set like glittering jewels in the firmament – becoming the stars. As the sun rose the next morning, she noticed the flickering forms of the stars, and it made her heart ache, though she did not understand why. For each morning after, the sun would watch the stars vanish with a frown set on her features; she wanted to understand where they came from.

One day, after countless courses across the sky, the sun was hanging high above the clouds when she heard her unspoken name echoing through the air. She halted her daily walk through the heavens and turned, finding the moon standing behind her. Looking into his eyes across the distance, the moon felt a soft sigh slip past her lips. He was beauty itself with his silver hair and richly bronzed skin. When they met, overshadowing the earth in an eclipse, the passion of their union resulted in the birth of two children: East and West. Their daughter, East, settled among the islands and peninsulas close to her mother’s home. West, their son, found his home on a large island sunk into the sea at his father’s door. The East fell in love with the spirit of the ocean, and soon she had borne him countless shining children – each a tribute to the divinity of their mother. The West fell in love with the spirit of the woods, and together they too had many children. As their parents danced across the sky, the generations continued until both the East and West were the beginnings of great dynasties.

The Children of the West called themselves the Fae, thinking themselves as fair as their moonlit ancestor, while the Children of the East named themselves the Xian, after the bright sun. Centuries melted away as human beings were also born, taking over the world that had once only belonged to the children of the sky; with the passage of time, the Fae and the Xian forgot the other existed. But, fate has a way of uniting two halves of a whole, just as it brought the moon and the sun together. 

~~~

Pain lanced through TOP’s side as he crashed through the thick underbrush of the forest. He skin seemed to be trying to peel away from the muscles that stretched across his abdomen, attempting to escape the heavy weight of the poisonous metal lodged into his side. Collapsing against the trunk of an oak, the brunette splayed a hand across the wound, attempting to stay the spilling of his thick sap-like blood. A howl rent the air, sending a shiver down TOP’s spine and making his golden eyes flash with fear. The dogs were coming. Tightening his grip on his wound, the man pushed off the tree and resumed running as best he could through the pain and darkness. TOP grimaced; his mortal body was so weak. If he were in his most comfortable form – the horse – he would have no trouble outpacing the yipping fleabags pursuing him. But no, his body was not strong enough to keep up that form, not with the poisonous iron in his blood.

_I am going to die,_ he thought.  _Torn apart by dogs. What a way to go._ Scoffing, he continued to stumble on as his legs began to shake. There was no way he would escape the situation; he was doomed.

Except, fate had a different ending in mind for the fae’s story.

In the moment of TOP’s deep despair – the instance in which he was about to give himself over to the dogs – he caught the distinct glimmer of another mythical creature through the trees. A surprised gasp slid past his lips, and he stretched a hand out towards the light. He squinted as the light seemed to intensify in its concentration, the silvery glow flooding the small section of woods around him. The barking of the hounds seemed to melt away and the throbbing of his wound seemed to lessen in intensity as the source of the light at last stepped into sight. At first glance, the creature seemed to be a horse: slim legged, tall, elegant, with a perfectly arched neck. But then other details filtered into Seunghyun’s awareness: sprinklings of silver-blue scales, the twist of a horn in the midst of the forehead, the delicately cloven hooves. Seunghyun had never seen a creature like it before. What was perhaps the most stunning, though, were the creature’s eyes, which were a molten gold that faded out to umber and seemed to reflect a warmth rarely found among the fair folk. Most Fae were cold and calculating, impish and sly; tenderness was rarely their forte. 

TOP felt himself becoming lost in those eyes. It was not until he could see the reflection of himself in those gentle orbs that he realized the dogs were still in pursuit and likely to appear at any moment. His breath hitched in fear, and he broke eye contact in order to stare over his shoulder in anticipation of sharp teeth. The glow at that moment shifted, fading until it was the intensity of a night lit by the quarter moon. As the sound of baying filled the air, TOP felt a light hand on his shoulder. “Can you climb?” a warm, soft voice breathed against his ear.

Twisting, TOP found himself eye-to-eye with a man with beautiful bronze skin and those same gentle eyes. He managed a jerky nod. “But the dogs,” he panted.

The stranger smiled and nodded towards a low-hanging branch. “Get as high as you can. I will deal with the dogs.” A shiver raced down the púca’s spine as he imagined what the dogs would do to the poor creature in front of him, but he could not hesitate. There was no time. Moving as quickly as he could, he hobbled over to the tree and wrapped his blood-slicked hands around the rough bark. He struggled to catch a grip and was surprised when he felt strong fingers curl around his hips. “Jump,” the stranger ordered. TOP did as ordered and found himself hefted up until he was able drag himself onto the branch. “See if you can get a little higher – out of sight.”

When the dogs burst into the clearing, teeth ready to rip flesh, TOP felt a shudder of primal fear rend its way through his body. He wanted to look away – to avoid seeing the stranger being murdered – but his gaze seemed fixed on the ethereal man. But, again, the situation was unexpected. The dogs scrambled to a stop in front of the man, tripping over one another in the process, and one even let out a little whine. And then the fleabags began to wag their tails – just a little. TOP gaped at the vicious beasts, who had been so willing to slaughter him; they looked at the stranger with open adoration. “Come here,” the man laughed, taking a knee. As a body, the dogs pounced: happily licking the man as though he were a most beloved master come home from a long journey. “Yah, you have to let me breathe!” he teased, scratching and rubbing and petting each dog in turn. “Yes, you are all such pretty hounds – such good puppies.” The stranger even placed a kiss on one wet snout, which just made TOP shudder. He could never imagine being so kind to such awful things. How many Fae had those dogs murdered, and here this man was treating them like precious angels. Ugh.

“Now, my beauties, I need you to do me a favor.” The dogs all sat and turned their ears towards the man, awaiting his order with eagerness. “The one you hunt is under my protection. Can you please lead the hunt away from us so I can aid him?” All of the dogs then turned to their female leader, seemingly discussing it with her, before the she-dog gave a soft woof. “Thank you. In return, I’ve healed what I could of your injuries. I hope it helps!” With a last round of pets delivered, the dogs crashed off through the woods – barking and howling the hunt once more.

TOP swayed on the branch he was sitting on; the poison from the iron was starting to make his limbs sluggish and his mind foggy. With a moan, he slid out of the tree and crumpled on the ground. At least he was not going to be torn apart - that was something of a comfort. Perhaps this stranger would even be kind enough to return his body so he could be properly cremated by his people and find eternal rest. That certainly seemed ideal, since the poison had wrought its deadly witchcraft on TOP.

In an instant, the stranger was at his side and peeling his hand away from the wound. “Why are you not healing?” he murmured, leaning closer so his innate glow could better light the injury.

“Iron,” TOP sputtered. “Poisonous…”

Ripping the Fae's shirt a little, the man exposed more of the wound. “I’ll have to pull the iron from your side, which will make you bleed more, but then I will be able to force the poison out,” he said softly. His gaze lifted to meet TOP’s once more. “It will hurt a great deal.”

“No more than… than dying,” TOP panted.

The stranger simply shrugged. “True.” And then TOP’s world was awash in agony. Whatever the man was doing, it made it feel as though TOP’s insides were desperately trying to become his outsides by clawing their way through every pore of his body. His every muscle was locked so tightly he could not even shriek at the amount of pain; instead, his teeth ground against each other and his body became as stiff as steel. Perhaps, TOP thought, dying would have been the better option. He shuddered as the pain, somehow, managed to intensify.

But then, as suddenly as it came, the agony was gone. TOP was able to open his mouth and gasp, hungrily drawing air into his lungs. The steady throbbing at his side was gone; in fact, he felt wonderful. Every ache in his body, even the weariness from having run, had vanished. Slowly, he pushed himself upright and examined his skin through the tattered remnant of his shirt. Nothing. The skin was perfect and smooth – more so than it had been the day TOP had been born. It was miraculous. Turning to thank the stranger, his mouth fell open once more. Shivering, the man had curled into a tight ball and seemed to be barely breathing. TOP carefully moved to his side and pulled his head into his lap. “Are you alright?” he breathed. The obvious answer was no, and the stranger reflected that in the wan little smile he managed to give.

“Healing is not my strong point,” the man finally mumbled. “It…drains me.” 

“If we can make it back to my home,” TOP said after a quick moment of thought, “you can rest in safety. How long until you will be able to walk?”

The stranger sighed softly. “In a few more minutes, I’ll be strong enough to sit up.” At least his voice sounded better – stronger.

TOP nodded. “In a few minutes, then, I can give you a ride. In this form I would just stumble around in the dark making a fool of myself.”

A soft laugh slid past the man’s lips. “Is that what got you hurt?” His umber eyes had an impish little twinkle in them; he had the audacity to tease TOP. The Fae scoffed a little.

“No.” TOP’s lips drew into a thin line. “I was caught in a trap laid by some hunters. They like to capture my kind and harvest potions ingredients from our bodies.” It was a grim reality in their world: The humans knew the Fae were mystical in nature and delighted in trying to destroy them. Some body parts did have healing properties, certainly, but not the way the humans used them. No, the mortals just destroyed and destroyed - not carying for the harm they wrought. 

“But you escaped.” There was that little sunny smile, slipping its way onto the man’s lips again. “That’s good.”

TOP carefully brushed some of the man’s silvery hair out of his eyes. “If you don’t mind my asking, what exactly are you? I have never seen anything like you before.”

“I’m a Daesung,” he quipped, laughing softly. The movement seemed to exhaust him, though, as he coughed a little. “I am what is known as a Qilin, though the ones who captured me called me a unicorn.” 

 “A unicorn,” TOP repeated. “I don’t think your kind live on this island. I’m certain I would have seen them at the high courts, if they did.”

That made the man – Daesung – laugh again. “I am not from your country,” he agreed, his eyes fluttering shut. “Far from home…”

“Where?”

Daesung opened an eye. “Is it typical among your kind to interrogate someone when they’re trying to rest?”

TOP had the grace to flush in shame. He had not realized he was pressing Daesung with question after question. “Can I ask one more thing?” Daesung gave a little nod. “If you were able to heal me, why can’t you just heal yourself?” His fingers moved to trace a cut along the unicorn’s cheek.

Sluggishly, Daesung lifted his right arm so the púca could see the thin gold band around his wrist. “You’re bad with iron. I’m bad with gold.”

Wrapping his long fingers gently around Daesung’s arm, TOP drew it close and examined the band. He could tell that the flesh was clearly irritated and raw beneath the golden loop; Daesung being in his human form had made the metal fit tighter around his joint, ripping the vulnerable flesh. TOP carefully felt around the band to check for a clasp but frowned upon finding none. “When I get you back to my people, I can see that this is removed,” he promised. “Though if you are allergic to gold, we will have to be careful. My people primarily use natural ore for our crafting.”

Daesung sighed softly. “I am sure you will find a way to –“ he yawned, “keep me safe. Wake me in a few minutes. I will be ready to travel then.” And without waiting to hear TOP’s reply, he fell into an easy sleep.

While the silence stretched on, TOP took the opportunity to examine the – what did Daesung call himself? – qilin? Yes, that sounded right. The word felt foreign even as it wrapped through the Fae’s mind, but he liked something about the weight of it. Unicorn was easier to say, certainly, but there was a certain vitality lacking in the word. Shifting slightly, he examined the strange silk garments the man wore. Fae had a silk of sorts, certainly, but Daesung’s robes were clearly of a finer quality than anything TOP had seen before. Along the neckline he could even make out little embroidered white horses – qilin, most likely – and twists of little reptilian forms. The damage done to the robe – the tears, the mud, the missing chunks – were utterly tragic, in TOP’s mind; but, he could not help but wonder what had caused them.

_“The ones who captured me.”_

Daesung’s words came surging back to the forefront of TOP’s mind. He had been captured, which probably meant leaving his faraway home had not been his choice. TOP frowned. The man had saved his life; the least he could do would be to see he made it safely home once more. As the inspection continued, the Fae found his gaze returning to the man’s face. Daesung had the same almond-shaped eyes that all descendants of the sky had been blessed with, but his bronze skin and broad features were otherwise unfamiliar. A bit of a smile worked its way onto the brunette’s bowed lips: He had never seen anything quite so beautiful as the sleeping qilin. It felt as though he were looking at the sunrise for the first time in his life.

When Daesung woke, he was able to sit up without assistance. TOP rose to his feet and offered the man a hand. “Lean against the tree while I shift,” he all but ordered. “Then climb on my back.” He was in some ways hesitant to give the man a ride – púca were known to lure evil men to ride them before dragg them to their deaths – but it seemed to be the only way to help Daesung. Besides, only evil men or those without pure intent needed to fear riding a púca. Somehow, TOP knew the unicorn would be fine.

Once on his feet, Daesung flashed TOP an amused little look. “As you wish, master,” he drawled, carefully leaning against the tree. “So shall I do.”

Something about his tone – perhaps the wry amusement hidden in it – struck TOP as being strange. Why would the qilin find their situation so funny? Ah well, such questions could wait for when they were safely among the Fae. TOP took a deep breath and stretched, his body elongating and becoming heavier as he moved into his favorite form. The shift itself was smooth and natural; moving between his various forms was as much a part of him as the golden hue of his eyes. But he could not help holding his head high as he paced closer to Daesung, as though he were begging for the man to admire him. After all, in their equine forms, TOP and Daesung could not be more different. Where Daesung was bright scales and lithe limbs, TOP was pitch-dark fur and heavy muscles. Mortals, when they saw the handsome púca, commented that he looked like one of the horses from Friesland, with feathering at the hooves and waved mane and tail. The comparison at least seemed apt, in TOP’s mind, since the one Frisian he had seen was a very fine looking creature – all muscles and grace.

Daesung, though, did not seem overly impressed. He just smiled a little and wound his hand in TOP’s thick mane. “Can you bend down a little?” he asked in his soft, whispery voice. TOP acquiesced, and in a thrice the qilin was sitting comfortably behind his shoulders. “Alright. I think I am as ready as I will ever be.” The Fae snorted before turning towards the hills at the edge of the woods, where his family held court. At first he moved slowly, picking his way carefully through the forest, so as to not dislodge Daesung from his back. But, once the man seemed more stable, TOP picked up his pace and was soon moving at a liquid run. With each passing moment, Daesung seemed to grow stronger – his thighs tightening around TOP’s barrel. At one point, the man even laughed breathlessly and, keeping his legs tight around the púca, threw up his arms. TOP had never had a rider actually enjoy being on his back; most screamed or cursed until they met their untimely end. But Daesung seemed to be having the time of his life, laughing even when the Fae lept over a fallen tree. It made the púca’s skin tingle everywhere his body came in contact with the qilin.

Their entrance to the Fae realm happened without fanfare: One moment they were moving through the forest, and the next they were among the hills of the fair folk. Little flickering balls of light moved about – the lesser fae – from flower to flower, and some of the little fairies even floated over to settle along the arch of TOP’s neck. He whickered at the creatures, making them giggle brightly. Daesung somehow even managed to have a few settle in his hair, forming a haphazard ring on his head. The fairies could sense the magical nature of the púca’s guest, and each wanted to touch him – to have better gossip than their friends later around the fen-fires. Only when one of the little fairies tried to steal some of Daesung’s hair did a minor kerfuffle arise, though it was quickly settled when the qilin asked the lesser fae to please leave his hair intact. TOP just managed to repress a smile at the gentlemanly way in which Daesung handled the situation.

TOP at last drew to a halt when in the section of the Fae court he called home: a section of the palace that seemed to be simultaneously indoors and outdoors. Wide archways shaped from the twisted trunks of maple trees allowed the púca to pass easily into the room, his hooves quieted by a carpet of moss, and gentle moonlight streamed through the glass panes that made up the ceiling. Tipping his head back, Daesung smiled at the sight of the distant starlight. “I thought I would never see the stars again,” he breathed, almost too softly for even TOP’s sensitive ears to catch.

When the Fae drew to a halt, he knelt once more and allowed the qilin to slip to the floor. TOP immediately shifted and gave the handsome man a smile. “I hope you do not mind that I brought you to my room. I thought you would appreciate the chance to recover and eat a little before meeting the rest of the court.”

Daesung reached over to place a light hand on TOP’s arm. “Thank you. I appreciate your generosity greatly.”

“It is the least I could do,” TOP mumbled. “You did save my life.”

“And you saved mine.” Daesung shrugged lightly before moving to examine the space more closely. What struck the qilin most, besides the unfamiliar aesthetic of the place, was the care with which every object had been placed in the room. Over by the western wall, for instance, there was a wide window with a padded bench in front of it – the perfect place for an afternoon nap. It was obvious that TOP – not some passing servant – had placed each piece in what he considered the most ideal location. This place, with its order and brilliantly colored artwork and elegant furniture told Daesung more about the Fae than any conversation likely could; it was like gazing into the intimate corners of the man’s mind.

“I did not save your life,” TOP protested. “If anything, you risked yours in order to save me. You would have been fine if I had not been injured.”

Daesung chuckled and moved to sit lightly on the edge of the Fae’s bed. “That is not true, my handsome rescuer. I am countless miles from home, injured, and on the run. Had you not brought me here, it is likely that either death or my captors would have found me.” His eyes curved into beautiful little crescents as he smiled at the Fae. “You have given me somewhere safe to rest, promised to remove the gold, and may even be able to help me return home. If that is not saving my life, I do not know what is.”

“Then we are even, I suppose,” the brunette murmured, moving to sit beside Daesung. “But I am still very grateful to you, Daesung. And even if I do not owe you my life, I want to be certain you make it home.” Even if there was a corner of his heart that ached at the thought of being unable to see theqilin's bright smiles or hear the careless sound of his laughter.

“Thank you – “ Daesung laughed suddenly, making TOP’s pulse race. “You know, I just realized I never asked your name. May I know what to call you?” He even tipped his head cutely to one side, making him look like an inquisitive puppy.

TOP just barely managed to avoid blushing. “I am Prince Tiberius Orion Pericles….but most call me TOP.” Because, really, his name was horrid. He blamed his parents every day for giving him such ridiculous names.

Daesung blinked and attempted to pronounce his names, stumbling horribly over each one. Fae and Xian were able to communicate – their innate magics bridging the linguistic divide – but it apparently did nothing for Daesung’s accent. Even TOP managed to be pronounced as “Toppy” instead. Theqilin finally ducked his head and admitted, “I am sorry for butchering your name. My tongue seems to be tied in knots over it.”

“You could always come up with your own nickname for me,” TOP said, shrugging. “I wouldn’t mind. You could even use something from your own language.”

Daesung beamed at the púca, nearly blinding him with its brightness. “Could I? That would be most helpful.” He reached over to give TOP’s hand a squeeze. “How about…Seunghyun? It can mean ‘rising shine,’ which reminds me of your eyes.”

The púca felt the blush flaunting itself across his high cheekbones, and he just knew Daesung could see it as well. “Seunghyun,” he said, testing the name out on his tongue. “I like it. But, what does your name mean?”

Wrinkling his nose, Daesung laughed. “Great voice. Which, I suppose is apt. Among my people I am considered a talented singer.”

The brunette’s eyes lit up. “Before you go, I may have to ask you to sing for me.” He ducked his head even as a crooked little smile turned his lips. “I enjoy listening to unique performances, and I would enjoy hearing one of your native songs.”

Daesung ran a hand through his hair. “I suppose I could do that. Eventually. For the moment, though, I think I should lie down. Do you have a preference on where I take a nap?”

Rising, Seunghyun – he liked the name – moved to the head of the bed and pulled down the coverlets. “Here will be more than fine. It’s comfortable, so you should rest well. And I can see about getting the tools I will need to remove the gold.”

Moving carefully, Daesung simply crawled up the bed and disappeared into the coverlets. “Thank you,” came the mumbled reply. Before the púca had finished tucking the man in, the qilin was fast asleep.

“What am I to do with you?” Shaking his head, the man headed for the door. 


	2. Forged

When TOP returned an hour later, he had a leather roll full of jeweler’s tools tucked under one arm and a plate of food in his other hand. He managed to open the door to his room with his elbow and slipped into the darkness with a bit of a smile. His heart – ridiculous thing that it was – fluttered a little at the thought of being able to see the qilin again. “Daesung,” he called, his low voice carrying through the room. He heard a sleepy snort in answer, which made him laugh. “Daesung, I brought food.”

The witch lights in the room began to glow softly, illuminating the distinct shape of Daesung’s head slowly poking up from among the pillows. Yawning, the unicorn managed to sit up and began to rub the sleep from his eyes. “Hi,” he murmured at last, squinting at the púca even as a crooked smile turned his lips. “Did you say food?” Limbs heavy with sleep, he began to crawl towards the edge of the bed.

“I did.” Seunghyun sat the wooden plate down on the table and rolled out the tools as well. “If you give me a minute before you eat, I can cut off that band for you. The tools themselves might irritate you, but hopefully not too badly.”

Daesung managed to drop down into the chair directly in front of the food. He then held out his arm for the Fae, who summoned a cluster of witch lights. Seeing Daesung’s look of confusion, he murmured, “So I can see better. I would hate to cut you by accident.” Selecting a pair of wire-cutters, he searched for the best place to cut before slipping the tool between the gold and Daesung’s skin. The qilin winced – the bronze did sting – but he held perfectly still as the offending band was sheered from his skin. A sigh of relief slid past his lips as both metals were removed from contact with his skin.

“It’s only gold, silver, and bronze,” he explained after a moment. “I can handle anything but those three.” He sighed. “It’s a bit ridiculous, really.”

“We don’t do well with man-made things,” TOP offered in reply. “Iron just happens to be the most common problem – the humans change it from how it was so that it bites our skin.”

The qilin gave his hand an experimental flex, and a smile turned his lips. “Look,” he said, excitement coloring the words. He held out his arm for the Fae to see: The flesh had already begun to knit itself back together. “I’m healing. Thank you so very much!” As Daesung’s gaze lifted to meet the púca’s, they both fell very still. There was an intensity – a slow burn of awareness between them – that made the happy qilin feel suddenly exposed. It was as though Seunghyun could see directly into the darkest corners of his mind and, unlike so many others, did not find Daesung wanting. The sensation was breathtaking, like jumping into an icy river.

On something of a whim, the púca shifted his grip on Daesung’s arm and brought the man’s palm to his lips. His eyes remained locked with the qilin’s as he pressed a soft kiss to the warm skin of the palm. “I’m glad,” he murmured, “that no lasting harm has been done to you.”

Daesung shivered at the unfamiliar note of  _want_ that made TOP’s voice rough and even lower. He nodded stupidly even as words struggled to form in the desert of his mouth. At last he managed to stutter a quick “uh-huh” before the Fae slowly released his hand. Shivering at the feel of TOP’s fingertips dragging across his skin, Daesung knew he was in trouble. How was this man able to affect him so deeply?

“The king and queen would like to meet you, as soon as you are well enough,” TOP murmured. “So they may know how to best help you home. When I told them of what I knew about you, they were distressed and pledged their support.” Especially since Daesung had rescued their son – even if Seunghyun was only the fifth in line for the throne after his elder brothers.

Recovering as best he could, Daesung smiled warmly at the prince. “Thank you, Seunghyun, for your help. As soon as I eat, I would be more than happy to talk to them. Now that I’m healing, I feel infinitely better.”

An answering smile – a shy little willow-the-wisp of a thing – turned his lips. “Then eat,” he laughed. “I will dispose of the gold so it does not hurt you again.” Rising, Seunghyun gathered the tools and gold, moving to pass them to a servant in the hall. When he returned, Daesung’s plate was already mostly empty. “You…must be very hungry. After you speak to my parents, you could have more, if you’d like.”

Daesung paused chewing long enough to give the Fae another smile before continuing to eat. His food disappeared at a remarkable pace, and soon it was entirely barren. TOP was suitably impressed. Judging by that performance, Daesung would likely even be able to out-eat the púca’s four younger brothers, and that was saying something. “Do I look alright?” Daesung asked, rising.

Taking in the man’s appearance, TOP frowned. “I can let you borrow some of my clothing,” he said softly. “Your things seem…a bit damaged.” Going to his wardrobe, the prince produced a simple linen shirt, breeches, and boots. “Hopefully these fit alright.”

The qilin took the clothing and quickly changed into them. Seunghyun stared a bit at the way his breeches fit on the man: Daesung’s thighs were more muscular than his, which meant the cloth was stretched taunt in the most fascinating ways. Catching himself staring, the Fae lifted his gaze only to find an amused little smirk playing across Daesung’s lips. “I take it I look much better,” he teased, his voice sunshine bright.

“Y-yes,” the Fae stuttered. “Um, shall we go?” He blushed all the way out of the room, down the halls, and up to the doors that lead to his parents’ chambers. By then, at least, he managed to gain some control over himself and banish the pesky blush from his skin. Seunghyun knocked firmly on the door, which opened to reveal an elegant parlor overrun in polished wood, soft moss, and sparkling fireflies. Daesung trailed behind the prince as they entered the room, and he silently took in the two figures seated in plush armchairs near the room’s only fire. The queen was a jovial beauty with round, soft features and a brilliant smile. Her husband, on the other hand, was all sharp angles and cold radiance. It was easy to see that Seunghyun, with his nearly razor-like cheekbones and piercing gaze was his father’s son. “Father,” TOP bowed slightly, “may I introduce Daesung, the qilin I spoke to you of.”

Contrary to expectation, Daesung did not fold into a deep bow. Instead, he merely inclined his head in greeting. “Thank you for your welcome and aid. I am honored to be the beneficiary of such graciousness.”

The king narrowed his eyes slightly at the seeming slight shown by his guest, and he moved to standing, towering over the qilin. “It is we who are honored by your presence. Without your aid, we would have one less son,” he drawled. “He told us you were far from home and a unicorn… But he was unable to tell us much else about you.” His piercing gaze seemed to indicate that this issue needed resolved immediately.

But, the qilin did not seem intimidated by the king’s radiant aura. He merely smiled and nodded. “Of course, I would be more than happy to tell you anything you should need to know.”

The queen, who had risen, placed her hand on her husband’s arm. “How about we sit down,” she suggested. The king grumbled – or at least made a face like he wanted to complain – before allowing his wife to pull him back to his chair. As soon as Daesung had sat down on a plush bench beside TOP, the queen asked, “So, where is it you are from, Daesung?”

“A place far, far to the east known as Korea. We Xian live in many places throughout the east, but my herd calls that particular peninsula home,” the man said easily.

Seunghyun’s father narrowed his eyes. “How is it you came to our shores, if you are from so far away?”

Daesung’s eyes became sad. “I was on patrol with my younger brother when we were attacked by pirates. I was able to give him the opportunity to escape, but I was taken. I assume the pirates brought me here and sold me, since my people are known for our healing abilities and the ability to cleanse poison.”

Leaning forward, the queen placed a comforting hand on Daesung’s knee. “I’m so sorry. That must be so awful, to be so far away from home.”

The qilin once again inclined his head. “Yes, it is,” he admitted easily. “And I wish I could linger in your beautiful kingdom. But, I must get home as soon as possible. I worry what chaos the herd has fallen into in my absence.”

“Oh?” The king tipped his head. “Is your herd likely to get into mischief without you?”

Daesung stilled; the man’s rudeness made his skin burn a little. “Yes, very likely. I am the King of the Dawn, Leader of the Qilin, and one of the Four Great Rulers of the East,” he drawled. At his side, TOP turned stiff. He had no idea that the man at his side was not just a king, but also someone so … powerful. “Without me, the herd is not quite the same.”

A particularly awkward silence filled the air as the king struggled to grasp the real identity of the quiet qilin. Compared to Daesung, TOP’s homeland was a rather minor kingdom at the outer edge of the Fae dominions; Erin was not the heart of their politics. After a long stretch of nothingness, the queen gave a polite little cough. “Then we will do everything we can to help you get home quickly and safely. I am certain my husband can ask the sea Fae about the best way to get you back to your people; they know the best passages to the far reaches of the world.” She elbowed her husband.

“Yes,” he stuttered. “We should be able to have you on your way home within the next day or two.” He cleared his throat. “If that would be acceptable to you.”

Daesung simply continued to smile at the other ruler. “That would be more than sufficient. Thank you. And, truly, there are no words for how grateful I am for your generosity.”

“It is the least we could do,” the queen reaffirmed. “Perhaps while you are here, you could tell us more about your people. It is hard to believe that there are other creatures such as us in the world that we had no knowledge of. I should love to hear of your homeland.”

“Da – His Majesty said he is considered a very talented singer among his people,” TOP murmured. “Perhaps he would be willing to share some of his music with us as well.”

Turning towards the púca, Daesung smiled gently and placed a hand on his knee. “I would be happy to do so,” he murmured. “Perhaps even someday your people and mine could exchange court members for a season – lend our strengths to one another.”

After a little while, TOP excused himself and Daesung from the room – claiming the qilin was still recovering from wounds of his own. The quiet monarch flashed his friend a grateful smile as they exited the room; he felt better, certainly, but the aftereffects of the gold still weakened his body. “Your parents seem nice,” Daesung observed as they walked through the hallways, passing other members of the royal court and servants as they went.

“Mm? Oh, I suppose so.” The Fae shrugged. “They’re parents. And monarchs. They play both those parts as best they can.” Seunghyun had never given much thought to whether his parents were particularly nice or not; niceness was not exactly a sought after qualifier in his world.

Daesung glanced over at the púca. “But they’re nowhere near as nice as you are, Seunghyun.” He smiled softly. “Thank you for all you have done for me. If there is ever anything I can do to repay you, I would be happy to do whatever I was able to in order to aid you.”

The Fae flushed at the offer – his mind supplying a number of rather delicious suggestions before he smothered them. “If I think of anything,” he promised, “I will let you know.”  _Anything reasonable, more like,_ he thought stubbornly.

Slipping into the prince’s chambers, the pair began to get ready for bed. It had been decided (by Daesung) that it would be easiest if he simply remained with his new friend. The thought of spending the day alone in an unfamiliar room was unsettling for the man, who had only so recently escaped the foreign confines of his prison. Seunghyun represented safety to the qilin, and he was not about to be parted with that calming presence. For TOP, though, the qilin’s company was anything but soothing. He felt his gaze catching on the man’s figure across the room, watching as Daesung tugged off the loose shirt and folded it before bending to remove the boots. The púca let out a slow breath. “Daesung?”

The king paused in taking off his boots to look over at the other man. “Hm?”

“How…how did you find me? In the woods, I mean.” He hesitated. “It’s been bothering me for a while. I mean, you said you came specifically towards me – that it took you off the course you were on.”

Daesung laughed softly and finished taking off his boots. “Are you certain you want to know? It’s rather…embarrassing.”

Seunghyun scoffed and slid into his loose nightshirt. “Of course I want to know. I’ll die of curiosity otherwise.”

The qilin shrugged before moving to sit on the edge of the bed, dressed in only his breeches. “My people can sense when a virgin is in distress. We are known as the guardians of purity because we tend to rescue virgins – most often from situations that would result in their chastity being compromised. And, well, I could sense that you were in distress. It drew me as though you were a lodestone; I could not have resisted if I tried. I think, perhaps, your mystical nature is what made the call so irresistible.”

By the time the king had finished, TOP was a vivid shade of burgundy his blush was so intense. He stuttered for a few moments – trying to find a coherent thought to articulate – before simply collapsing face first onto the bed with a moan. Saved because he was a virgin; he would never be able to tell his brothers that part of the story.


	3. Found

Molten sunlight streamed through the windows when at last the púca and the qilin awoke; it was late into the afternoon. They had spent many of the hours after the (embarrassing) explanation of how Daesung came to rescue TOP simply learning of one another. Stories of home and family had caused the hours to melt away, the stars fading into dawn as they talked themselves to sleep. Seunghyun sighed softly at the feeling of warm that seemed to radiate along his right side; it felt as though the sun itself had slipped beneath the coverlets of his bed. Rolling onto his side, he opened his eyes and found Daesung’s fine features unexpectedly close. When they had fallen asleep to one another’s whispered tales, Daesung had been on the far edge of the bed, as though he were afraid of touching the other man. But now they were pressed close: hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder.

Seunghyun let out a slow breath.

In the gentle glow of the witch lights and moonlight, Daesung had been ethereally beautiful. His skin had seemed to radiate warmth from within, and the silver shimmer of his hair had been like woven moonlight. But in his natural element – in the light of the mother sun – Daesung was incandescent. His bronze skin was like perfectly polished metal, yet it had a silken undertone that made the púca want to stroke his fingers along the strong shape of the man’s jaw. And his hair, cast in the golden glow of the late daylight, seemed to change color as the faint wisp of TOP’s breath disturbed it, making it sparkle and glimmer. But perhaps most beautiful of all was the way the qirin’s eyes flickered open: slowly, reluctantly parting with dreams in favor of facing the remnant of the day. The prince felt his lips curve into a smile at the way Daesung’s eyes went wide when he realized how very close they were; close enough to kiss. “Good morning,” Seunghyun murmured.

Wrinkling his nose, the qilin remained pressed against the púca, even as his skin was stained with an undertone of rose along his cheeks. “I think you mean afternoon,” Daesung breathed. He then fought back a yawn, pressing his hand against his mouth to hide the motion. Then, blearily, he blinked up at Seunghyun, which only served to make the man smile gently. “Seunghyun?”

“Hm?” Reaching over, the prince pushed a bit of the qilin’s shaggy hair behind his ear. The texture of Daesung’s hair was surprisingly slick, as though it truly were silver rather than hair; Seunghyun wanted to continue running his fingers through the strands to fully take in the singular sensation. When Daesung nuzzled lightly into his touch, TOP could not help but preen a little.

“…I’m hungry.”

TOP laughed. “Then let’s go get you something to eat.”

Once they were respectably dressed, the púca guided his guest to the dining hall. Dinner had only just begun to appear on the tables, which of course meant the four youngest princes were all present – and acting as though they had not eaten in weeks. Daesung stopped a bit short at the sight of the four youngest princes: He had expected them to be púca like Seunghyun, but their auras were too different to indicate shared magics. The youngest prince was the first to notice them. He had softer features – more reminiscent of his mother – but a distinctly haughty expression that made him seem more like an heir than lastborn. His dark sapphire hair hung in his face, but it shone in the light like the surface of a river in the noonday sun. One of his finely shaped eyebrows arched, and he lightly tapped the shoulder of the boisterous blond at his side. “Jackson, our brother has brought someone with him.”

Immediately, the blond gancanagh turned – his dark eyes wide. He let his gaze sweep lightly over Daesung’s form before a wide, cheeky grin turned his lips. “A hot someone,” the young man agreed.

Across the table from him, a large brunette guffawed and reached over to push Jackson back into his seat. “Put your eyes back into your head,” he teased. “Just because he’s new doesn’t mean you get to flirt with him!”

“Why not?” Jackson stuck his bottom lip out in an overdramatic pout. He even attempted to flutter his eyelashes, which just made his brothers roll their eyes at him.

“Because you’re a moron,” the brunette and the youngest answered simultaneously. They both then shared a grin over the table, causing the fourth – and heretofore silent – brother to smirk a little. Daesung turned his attention to the silent brother, and he was somewhat surprised. He had the same full cheeks as the brunette and the youngest, but there was a predatory air to him that the other two lacked. Perhaps it was the feline curve of his lips or the intensity of his gaze that reminded him so much of Seunghyun, but it was clear which of the four was most like TOP in appearance. The only very obvious difference between Seunghyun and his next youngest brother was the vivid purple shade of the cat sith’s hair.

“Behave yourselves,” TOP all but growled, his aura crackling with possessive energy as he towered over the table. Jackson dropped back into his seat. “This is King Daesung, Leader of the Qilin and one of the Four Rules of the East. Respect him or else I will cut out your tongues.”

Unable to help himself, Jackson stuck his tongue out at Seunghyun. “You’re no fun, TOP. How can you bring someone so pretty over and then tell me to behave? That’s like making a cake to just look at it!”

Reaching across the table, the purple-haired brother smacked Jackson’s head. “Shut up.” He then turned his intense, dark eyes on Daesung. “I’m Leo. That’s Jackson, Seamus, and Midir.”

The brawny brunette – Midir – grinned widely at the qilin. “What’s a qilin?” His eyes shone with earnest curiosity as he gazed up at the king, who was fighting back a smile at the nearly childlike joy the man radiated.

“I am,” he teased lightly, echoing the explanation he had given Seunghyun seemingly lifetimes ago. “The inhabitants of this island call us unicorns.”

Seamus flipped his blue hair out of his eyes and regarded Daesung. “Are you able to shapeshift, like Midir, Leo, and TOP?”

Daesung chuckled and nodded. “I can shift, yes. In fact, when I met your brother, I was in my other form.” He moved to sit between Midir and Leo, gently elbowing them apart so he could fit between them.

Midir happily wiggled in his seat as he turned to regard the púca as he sat across from Daesung. “How did you meet him, TOP? What does he look like?”

A flush rose across Seunghyun’s cheeks at the memory of Daesung’s explanation; his younger brothers were the last people he would tell about his virginal status drawing the qilin to his aid. But, he could not leave them utterly bereft of details. “I fell into a trap and was pierced by an iron barb. While I was running away, Daesung came to my rescue.” He paused in filling his plate in order to look over at the qilin. “It was as though moonlight and starlight had taken on the body of the most delicate horse I had ever seen, and from his forehead rose a single spire – a horn the perfect white of moonstone.”

Daesung ducked his head at the description; it was a far more poetic depiction than he himself would ever have given. “When I found your brother, I offered him my aid. I healed him and sent the hunting hounds off on another track. In return, he brought me here to heal and to help me get back home.” Before Midir could even begin to ask the question Daesung knew was coming, the qilin continued, “I am from the far Eastern lands, and I need to return home. My own brothers are likely worried to death, since I was kidnapped.”

Jackson’s eyes lit up. “You have brothers too?”

The qilin smiled to himself; it was clear which parent Midir and Jackson took after, and it certainly was not their mercurial father. “Yes. Jongup and Hoseok, and I have an adopted brother from China named Yixing.” He shrugged a little. “There are at least two hundred qilin in the herd, though, and I consider each of them my family as well.”

Even Seamus seemed impressed by those numbers – his eyebrow arching elegantly once more. “However do you keep track of so many?”

Daesung laughed easily and filled his plate with nearly as much food as Midir was packing down. “Oh, there’s a structure to the madness. I have a second in command and a committee of advisors that are in charge of individual units in the herd. My primary job is to protect the herd, deal with the other Xian, and officiate ceremonies. Nothing too exciting.”

“Sounds like more work than Jaejoong does,” Jackson mused before taking a large bite of turbot. “His only job will be making sure the family line continues while he sits on the throne. And doing lots of bootlicking to the higher kingdoms.”

Leo saw fit to smack Jackson’s head yet again, though it was a considerably longer stretch with the seating arrangements having shifted. “Shut up, Jackson.”

As the brothers fell into eating, the subject of succession and kingly duties fell by the wayside. But, TOP could not help wondering what royal expectations the qilin had of Daesung. Was he, like Jaejoong, nothing more than another rung in the dynastic ladder? And, more importantly, why did the púca care so much about the answer? It was not as though he had any claim on Daesung’s affections or any right to be jealous of a hypothetical qilin queen. He was a prince with obligations and duties that would likely keep him rooted in Erin until he faded into the west, as his people did at the end of their lives. Yet, the question continued to burn at him.

“Daesung, would you like to go for a run?” TOP asked even as the qilin finished packing away his third plate for the evening.

The Easterner looked up with a smile even as he daintily wiped off the corner of his mouth. “I’d love to, Seunghyun.”

Like a pack of dogs who had caught sight of a bone, Midir, Jackson, and Seamus all whipped their heads towards Daesung. Even Leo looked over – albeit more slowly – and raised an eyebrow. “Seunghyun?” Midir asked. “Who’s that?”

“Me,” the púca grumbled. “It’s a nickname Daesung gave me.”

“I want a nickname!” Midir cried, wiggling in his seat once more. He turned to Daesung with a wide grin. “Can I have a nickname too?”

“I will think of one for you all later,” Daesung promised, reaching over to poke Midir’s cheek. “I promise to not leave until you all have one.”

Seunghyun – while his brothers cheered – rose and stepped away from the table. He quickly shifted into his equine form and gave his large head a toss. Laughing, his qilin companion stood and moved over to run a hand down the strong arch of TOP’s neck. “You just want to show off, don’t you?” he teased. But then, with a playful roll of his eyes, the qilin shifted as well. Standing side by side, they were an even more striking pair: dichotomy in action. The younger princes were all enthralled by the unique beauty of Daesung’s equine form, and the king whickered his amusement at their stunned expressions. He supposed they had not expected Seunghyun’s description to be even close to accurate and had been instead imagining some pathetic little pony. And while Daesung was not as confident as some of his kin, he did know he was a rather fetching specimen.

With a flick of his tail, the púca whirled and lead the Xian out of the dining hall. The pair charged out into the gathering gloom of the dusk: neither rushing nor racing as they moved lightly along the flower-dotted trail. They were too caught in the beauty of moving together – the push and pull of their breathing, the occasional touch of their sides, the glance of the other from the corner of the eye – to worry about where they were going or how fast they got there. Seunghyun wanted to run to the ends of the earth with Daesung at his side; he thought that together they could perhaps catch the stars as they fell from the summer sky. For Daesung, it was only too easy to imagine showing TOP his home and how easily the handsome púca would fit in among his herd. He could see them racing through the meadows, chasing each other with abandon as the cherry blossoms fell, before collapsing together in the long grasses to watch the stars as they flickered to life in the sky. His brothers would adore the brunette (and probably overwhelm him with their cheerful enthusiasm), and the herd would welcome him with open arms. After all, it would keep the mares from complaining that their king needed a strong spouse at his side to rule the qilin and keep the other three great rulers in line. And it was not as though his dynasty would be threatened by him taking a male consort. Daesung thought it was a pretty dream, even if it was so very unlikely. After all, why would the púca chose to leave his family and home to join a stranger in a land lifetimes away from everything he knew?

Evening was fully fallen by the time the prince and the object of his growing affections returned to the palace. A messenger was awaiting them, summoning them yet again to attend on the king and queen. The qilin and púca shared a look before simply trotting down the halls, figuring it was much faster than walking about in their human forms. When at last they arrived at the small private court, Daesung and TOP shifted – it seemed the polite thing to do. But even as they walked into the room together, the energy that had fissioned between them as they ran still sizzled between their bodies. Every breath Daesung took seemed to fill the Fae’s lungs, and each of Seunghyun’s gestures seemed to make the muscles in the qilin’s body heat with the warmth of movement. Somehow, between the stars and summer grasses, it was as though they had become a single being.

The queen glanced between them with a toothy smile even as the younger princes all fought to make room for Daesung – each wanting the handsome king to sit beside them. After a bit of silent wrestling, it was finally determined that Daesung would sit between Seamus and Leo, while TOP was banished to a lonely chair near the fire. Jackson and Midir playfully whined over their fate as they rolled across the floor. “Please forgive my three eldest,” the queen said gently as she resumed her seat. “They are out on business, otherwise they too would be here to greet you.”

Daesung smiled easily. “I understand. In a kingdom, it seems business waits for no one.” He brushed a bit of his silvery hair out of his eyes. “Has there been some development in my situation?”

“Yes,” the king said, smiling a bit. “The selkie have agreed to take you to your homeland. A group of them have a ship – apparently they got bored with just swimming – and want to undertake the adventure to your kingdom.”

“Excellent!” Daesung’s heart gave an unexpected lurch. “How soon will we be leaving?”

“According to their captain, they will be ready to leave at dawn. Is that acceptable?”

Daesung’s smile remained fixed in place, even as he snuck a subconscious glance at TOP. “Yes, that will be perfect. Thank you for all of the effort you have put into returning me to my people. I will be eternally grateful for your aid.”

“It is our pleasure, Daesung,” the queen said gently. “Though if you wish to repay us, I hope an alliance between our peoples can be forged. Your gifts with healing iron sickness would greatly aid us, and I am certain there are many things our court could offer you as well.”

“-our nicknames,” Jackson was in the midst of saying when Seunghyun came barreling out into the hallway.

“You promised to tell us before you left,” Midir agreed. “And if you leave too early, we might not be able to say goodbye to you.”

Daesung chuckled gently even as TOP came to a stop just behind his shoulder. The púca desperately wanted to sweep the qilin into his arms and rush away with him, if only so he could ask about traveling with him that much sooner. But, somehow he imagined his brothers would only chase them down. “Well,” Daesung mused, “I was thinking that Seamus sounded a lot like a name among our people: Sehun.”

The ondine flicked his hair out of his eyes. “Sehun. I like that.” He looked just a touch smug to be selected first, which just made TOP roll his eyes a little.

“And Leo, I would call you Taekwoon.” The cat sith smiled a little, his lips curling in decided pleasure. He liked the strength of the name and the way it seemed to roll off Daesung’s tongue. “Midir would be Minho.”

“Epic!” He bumped his fist against Seamus’ – the youngest humoring the enthused elder. “That’s such a cool name. You’re going to have to write these down in your language before you go, so we can see how they look. I bet they look amazing.”

“Yeah!” Jackson agreed. And then he turned his wide eyes on Daesung. “What about me? What’s my name?”

The qilin shook his head a little. “I thought for someone as unique as you, I’d give you something a little different. My brother Yixing is actually from China – my father adopted him from a herd there that was unable to care from him. They have a different language from us, and I thought a name from his people would suit you well: Jia Er.”

“Jia Er,” Jackson repeated thoughtfully. “So basically you’re saying I am the special one and your favorite?”

Reaching over, Leo smacked the back of the gancanagh’s head. “Shut up, Jackson.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re being rude.”

“Am not!”

“Yes you are,” TOP cut in. “Now, if you are done badgering my guest, I need to help him pack for his journey home.” Without waiting to hear his brother’s replies, Seunghyun caught the qilin by the elbow and started for their shared room.  

Shut in the silence of his room once more, TOP became acutely aware of a myriad of details: from the soft scent of Daesung to the way the flickering witch lights made the qilin’s hair seem to glow. He cleared his throat. “Traveling with the selkies, you should at least make it home quickly,” he said, palms suddenly becoming slick as his nervousness shot towards the stars. Moving towards his closet, he began to pull out some of his larger shirts. “We can see that you have enough to make it in relative comfort.”

Daesung watched the man work with an unprecedented furor as he selected shirts, pants, socks, undergarments, and even a couple of coats. These were all dumped on the bed before TOP selected an oiled knapsack to stuff the items into – pausing only once when he realized that he needed to roll the pieces instead of fold them in order to make them fit. When he had finished, Daesung moved over to place a hand lightly on his shoulder. “Thank you, Seunghyun.”

The man stiffened at the gentle touch. “For what?”

Hesitating, Daesung licked his bottom lip. “Taking care of me and seeing to my happiness. You are very generous and kind.” His head came to rest on the back of the púca’s shoulder. “I will miss you.”

“You don’t have to miss me,” the brunette murmured. “I… could go with you, if you would have me.” 

The Xian felt his breath catch at the words that spilled out of Seunghyun’s mouth. “What about your family and your duties here?” 

Turning, the púca tentatively slipped his arms around Daesung’s waist. He felt brazen in the motion – there had only been the simmer of attraction between them – but their time together was so limited. If he was not bold enough to act, how could he ever hope to keep the beautiful qilin in his life? “Daesung, I have seven brothers. My few obligations could easily be handled by them – happily so. It would give Midir something to do with his time, since he has very few responsibilities and a great penchant for mischief.” He smiled just a little. “And I would gladly follow you wherever you might lead me. Home and family do not have to just be here among the hills of Erin. I hope – I hope that I could have a home with you as well.”

It took the brunette a moment to realize that the qilin was kissing him – it happened so fast. Their lips met in a gentle contact that felt more like the caress of a wandering summer breeze than the first step towards a lifetime together. And yet, there in the pressure of warm skin against warm skin, there was the burn of potential and a thousand unwhispered wishes for a life spent learning to love each other. Seunghyun tightened his arms about Daesung’s waist, drawing him even closer as the kiss was prolonged. When the king drew back, he smiled up at the púca, his eyes disappearing into beautiful little crescents, before he breathed, “I would gladly show you my home. Leaving you here would be a mistake, I think, because I feel you are the partner I’ve sought all my life. Your heart is my home.”

A thrill of perfect happiness shot through the Fae’s body. His feelings – tremulous and tender though they were – were returned. There were no words for the elation that seemed to wind itself through his very veins, embedding itself into his very being. This, he thought, was the true meaning of joy: to find a love reflected. With a whoop of delight, he tightened his grip around Daesung further and began to swing the man around in a circle – laughing with abandon. Daesung snorted at the ridiculousness of the situation, but even so he continued to grin at the love struck brunette. “Then I am going to need another bag,” Seunghyun declared, “or three… Do you suppose the captain would object to a few pieces of furniture coming along as well?” Daesung just laughed and laughed; he had never been so happy in all his life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finished! Hallelujah! Someday when I have time there will be a sequel where Seunghyun gets to meet Daesung's family. Basically that is going to be amazing and full of so many kpop unicorns. Also, in case you are wondering (I know you are), Do Kyungsoo is the selkie captain. And he's amazing. Also, Jackson is a type of Fae that basically just...seduces everything. I thought it was fitting considering his flirty personality. Mino can shift into a giant bear, and that's most of what his powers do. 
> 
> I had fun writing this, and I hope that you enjoyed reading this fic! Thank you again to rosefangedlion and silven-chan for being the inspiration behind this fic. You both are wonderful, and I <3 you.


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